WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate has approved legislation that would allow the State Department to transfer up to $1.1 billion to improve security at U.S. embassies in the wake of the deadly assault last year at the U.S. Consulate in Libya that killed four Americans.

The measure was approved by voice vote and now heads to the House. The money would come from surplus funds no longer needed in Iraq as the United States has scaled back its operations in the country.

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy said the money will be used to speed up work on Marine security guard posts overseas and construct secure embassies. It had been stripped from a bill to provide relief for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

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